NEWS

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Iowa expands its 'do not rehire' list

by KIX101.1 /1230 KFJB News Departmentposted Apr 1 2014 10:20AM

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa's executive branch maintains an internal "do not rehire" list that has grown to more than 1,400 people who are barred from returning to state employment after being fired previously.

A review by The Associated Press shows the two-decades-old list has grown under Gov. Terry Branstad even as the state lacks clear legal justification and policies for how workers' names are added and removed.

Administrative law judges have ruled three times since 2009 that the Department of Administrative Services doesn't have "the statutory or regulatory authority" to issue lifetime employment bans against fired workers.

At least 250 names have been added since Branstad returned to office in 2011, about twice the pace of his predecessor.

Iowa managers say they use the list to reject bad employees and save taxpayer money.